Nguyễn Hùng Cường is more of a paper sculptor than an origami master, taking the folding craft to the next level with his incredibly detailed pieces. Using mostly a handmade Vietnamese paper with a waxy finish called Dó, Cường’s creations seem softer and more realistic than other fine folding. Cường’s gorgeous collection reaches all spectrums of the animal kingdom, from realistic gorillas to undersea lobsters and great white sharks, each in painstakingly perfectly folded detail.

The origami master began folding at an early age, getting hooked at age five before developing a lifelong habit of making origami. At 10 he was already creating original origami designs, and then began his foray into folding creatures of the animal kingdom, with a pig being his first design.

Cường takes his inspiration from both origami books and wildlife magazines, often pushing himself to create intricate creations from just one square of paper. He often uses single bills of Vietnamese money to make tiny galloping horses and other creatures. From afar, his pieces look like papier mache or sculptural works. His great white shark seems to jump out of a curling blue wave, while a shouting gorilla hulks over a gray boulder. Flowers are treated with the same intricate quality, as are Cường’s delicate and fine butterfly pieces.

While still a hobby, Cường hopes to one day publish a coffee table quality monograph of his original creations to inspire other would-be origami masters to try their hand at traditional paper folding.